<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>the reason that i shine by tongham</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638474">the reason that i shine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tongham/pseuds/tongham'>tongham</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cravity (Band), X1 (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Cats, Established Relationship, M/M, Veterinary Medicine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:27:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638474</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tongham/pseuds/tongham</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“a gift? for me?” minhee exclaims sarcastically as he approaches hyeongjun, the boy hunched over a stout cardboard box.</p><p>hyeongjun peers over his shoulder at the loud noise and where minhee would once try for a clichéd moment is replaced by a sharp eye-roll from the smaller boy. “shut up and get down here.”</p><p>readjusting the jacket thrown haphazardly onto his figure, minhee crouches down, naturally leaning into hyeongjun’s warmth as his eyes adjust to the darkness. minhee shouldn’t be surprised by the sight, explaining the predictable reaction from hyeongjun – enclosed in the cardboard are four tiny kittens, the veterinarian technology student’s ultimate kryptonite. “oh.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kang Minhee/Song Hyeongjun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the reason that i shine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I AM SO SORRY THE PAST FEW DAYS WERE HELL. contrary to popular belief i wasn't struggling with this idea but with stupid university *rolls eyes* i definitely enjoyed my week off Too much... anyway! i am back! and i will be catching up because i am 100% done of everything for this week! and i have an unbusy weekend! :D so please enjoy, i'm starting to get tired especially after i was forced to stop but i Will finish the month!!!</p><p>title from made in you by suho.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“change of plans,” hyeongjun says with resolution, voice scratchy over the phone.</p><p> </p><p>“what happened?” minhee slowly sits up from his leisurely position, once scrolling on his phone lazily before his boyfriend called. “are you sick? stressed? busy?”</p><p> </p><p>a long silence prevails and minhee momentarily removes the screen from his ear, glancing to ensure the line is still on. “just meet me outside your building’s front door. now.”</p><p> </p><p>“why not inside?”</p><p> </p><p>“it has to be outside. hurry!” hyeongjun’s tone is dripping in impatience, minhee can envision his little stomps as he urges the elder boy.</p><p> </p><p>“okay, okay. love y –” minhee’s habitual last words are interrupted with a beep.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“a gift? for me?” minhee exclaims sarcastically as he approaches hyeongjun, the boy hunched over a stout cardboard box.</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun peers over his shoulder at the loud noise and where minhee would once try for a clichéd moment is replaced by a sharp eye-roll from the smaller boy. “shut up and get down here.”</p><p> </p><p>readjusting the jacket thrown haphazardly onto his figure, minhee crouches down, naturally leaning into hyeongjun’s warmth as his eyes adjust to the darkness. minhee shouldn’t be surprised by the sight, explaining the predictable reaction from hyeongjun – enclosed in the cardboard are four tiny kittens, the veterinarian technology student’s ultimate kryptonite. “oh.”</p><p> </p><p>“minhee, how could i possibly leave them?” hyeongjun says, voice tearful and wide, innocent eyes turning to look at his boyfriend. on that thought, the younger boy’s expression shifts from a plea toward determination. “we’re not going out on our date tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>minhee’s head turns sharply at the statement, mouth open but with nothing to say. “hyeongjun, listen,” he starts out gentle, with the docility required to manage song hyeongjun and his short fuse and his strong convictions, “i know you want to take care of them but can’t you just drop them off at the shelter for, i don’t know, an actual paid employee to deal with?”</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun laughs shortly, rolling his eyes as he subtly slips out of minhee’s hold on his shoulders. “you know we close overnight, we can’t take in new animals until the morning. we need special people for the paperwork and everything.”</p><p> </p><p>minhee nods shortly, gears turning in his mind as he attempts to organize his thoughts into coherence. “it’s just... when you’re not in class or studying, you’re at the shelter and i know that you love it but i want you to have a rest. some sort of break.”</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun tenses up, smirk falling off his face as he absorbs minhee’s words. consider his feelings delivered. “well, i still consider this a break. i get to spend time with you, that’s enough for me.”</p><p> </p><p>minhee glosses over the heartfelt admission in favour for a very critical – and very undiscussed – assumption. “i beg your pardon?”</p><p> </p><p>when hyeongjun meets his eyes again, minhee is working overtime to not sink. “oh, you think i’m going all the way back to my hall with them?”</p><p> </p><p>“no, it’s…” minhee mumbles incomprehensibly, shaking his head to clear his mind. he reciprocates hyeongjun’s expectant gaze and a small smile, the one that indicates dubious decisions and unforgettable moments to come. “just don’t get me in trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun’s grin widens at the permission and minhee has no regrets, all rationalities and consequences fleeing from his mind. “don’t worry, i’m very good at this.”</p><p> </p><p>“what?”</p><p> </p><p>“you know me,” hyeongjun says with an exaggerated wink, pulling laughter from minhee’s chest.</p><p> </p><p>in the following moment of silence, the elder boy tilts his head slightly, nodding in agreement. with a silent sigh, minhee stands up and holds a hand out to help hyeongjun up when he so pleases. “alright, then. come on, sweetheart.”</p><p> </p><p>the smaller boy’s head turns down and away from minhee’s watchful gaze, a habit signifying abashment, before regaining composure, eyes still fixed on minhee’s hand rather than his face. “oh, that’s nice,” he says distractedly.</p><p> </p><p>“i was using it ironically.”</p><p> </p><p>“and yet i like it. unironically.”</p><p> </p><p>minhee will remember that.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>after hyeongjun runs back to his dorm for the appropriate materials – minhee thinks it’s adorable that he has them on hand, a trusty knapsack of blankets and toothbrushes and oral syringes – minhee begins to ask the important questions. “do we have the authority to name them?”</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun swings the door closed, enforcing the lock just in case, as an extra precaution. “the shelter usually gives kittens non-binding names so their forever families can name them themselves. more meaningful, y’know?”</p><p> </p><p>minhee nods in understanding, in peace as his eyes wander around the familiar space turned tranquil by the tiny creatures and, majorly, the boy sitting on the floor as he attends to the box and his pack. “do you know how old they are?”</p><p> </p><p>“two weeks. eyes are open but ears are still folded.” hyeongjun says it easy, distracted until his eyes wander up the bedpost to visually acknowledge minhee. silently, he shoots a smile and beckons the taller boy down with the subtlest nod of his head.</p><p> </p><p>when minhee touches down, the kittens are walking on wobbly legs, hyeongjun appropriately cooing over them. he picks one up, sending an unspoken query minhee’s way with a single glance. unable to refuse, minhee just nods and all four kittens are eventually exploring all the wonders minhee’s dorm has to offer.</p><p> </p><p>absorbed in his thoughts and minhee not wanting to disrupt him, hyeongjun breaks the silence first. “they’re so adorable. thank god they all seem to be healthy.”</p><p> </p><p>barely registering his boyfriend’s words, minhee’s own slip out. “can we adopt one of them? or all of them?”</p><p> </p><p>absentmindedly petting the kitten sniffing experimentally at his sneaker, hyeongjun turns with an amused look on his face, smile fighting to appear at the corners of his lips. “why so interested suddenly?”</p><p> </p><p>“you said it yourself, they’re cute. and i’m thinking i’d like to do this with you.”</p><p> </p><p>“and what is that, exactly?” hyeongjun tilts his head, tone teasing but minhee sees the expectation clear as day.</p><p> </p><p>“start a cat family with you,” minhee confesses, a silly-but-deeply-felt admission. he loves hyeongjun like this, his passions and empathy shining through, and he truly doesn’t tell him enough. naturally, without knowing, his hand is on hyeongjun’s wrist, a necessary maintenance of contact.</p><p> </p><p>hyeongjun’s jaw drops to form a small o, a flash of pride striking minhee as he renders the boy speechless. after an extended moment of silence, hyeongjun snaps his mouth shut and doesn’t bother to muffle his giggles. “that is the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me. someday,” he sighs wistfully, reaching down to scratch at another kitten’s head, different from the first. the sigh from minhee’s side repeats but, this time, it comes from a place of anxiety. “thank you for letting me take the kittens here. and i’m sorry for making us ditch our date plans.”</p><p> </p><p>a hand comes up to rest on the back of hyeongjun’s neck, welcomed contact judging from the way the younger boy leans into the touch. “no, it’s fine,” minhee reassures, faces close together. running a bit impatient, a bit greedy, he presses forward with the smallest of kisses. “i think i like this more.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! comments + kudos are much appreciated and also hit my line on twitter @deuichas or at curiouscat.me/tongham &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>